Coral Gables Category

Designed by Cesar Molina and Jodel Narcisse, and inspired by the Vanderbilt mansion on Fisher Island, this exquisite Mediterranean hacienda on the premier lagoon in Gables Estates, reigns as one of the most magnificent homes in this guarded community in Coral Gables along Biscayne Bay. A main house designed to follow the arc of the property and lagoon, two carriage houses, and a two-bedroom service house form the perimeter of a gracious courtyard of European scale. 270′ feet of water frontage (only a moment to the Bay) are flanked by gorgeous terraces, porticos, and a gazebo for opulent outdoor living. This is truly an exceptional estate.

If you haven’t read “Why Won’t Anyone Buy LeBron James’ Miami House?”, click the link and be as amused as I was. The director of luxury sales for a respected real estate company explains why LeBron’s house hasn’t sold in 6 months. In David Letterman-style I’ll name the reasons in reverse, and save the best for last:

“LeBron’s $17 million mansion won’t sell because…”

6) It’s not in the ideal ideal location (yes, ‘ideal’ is used twice).

5) People spending this kind of money are not impressed by who owns it.

4) It’s hard to find someone who will write a $17 million check.

3) The Grove is too residential so you’re not going to get the big baller-type rollers.

2) Big money tends to gravitate to Miami Beach.

1) LeBron James’ home is in the Coconut Grove neighborhood.

Do you think he checked that story out with LeBron? Do you think Chris has been to Coconut Grove? LeBron could have lived anywhere in Miami, and I know of a half dozen houses in Miami that were considered, but legendary ex-Miami Heat player #6 chose 3590 Crystal View Court because it IS the ideal location, and it IS in the ideal neighborhood. I won’t bother to go into the reasons why, and I wouldn’t be foolish enough to knock Miami Beach because I LOVE it.

Next week I am listing 181 Leucadendra Drive in Gables Estates for $22,500,000. It’s an ideal neighborhood where plenty of “big baller-type rollers” live under the radar, and $17 million is what the last land parcel sold for! Here’s a preview:

Learn more about real estate in South Miami, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, by contacting Val Byrne at [email protected] or at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!

We’re calling this “Casa Iluminada” because of the phenomenal collaboration of glass, natural light, and soaring ceilings. The home was built in 2008, and a gorgeous renovation took place in 2014. This gated residence is bar none the epitome of luxury, sensibility, and comfort, and so are the separate guest house, gym, and housekeeper’s quarters!

The finishes are exquisite, the Arclinea kitchen is over-the-top, the Brazilian Ipe solid wood floors are breathtaking, and the architectural nuances are fabulous. Come see for yourself! Website and floor plan will be up shortly!

Brief background: In the 1980’s Miami-Dade County Public Schools established “Controlled Choice,” a system whereby the school system selected the school that a student would attend. It was intended to desegregate the schools.

Sunset Elementary School

Fast forward to 2015 and Coral Gables is the county’s only remaining city to have Controlled Choice, with Coral Gables Preparatory Academy, George Washington Carver Elementary, and Sunset Elementary Schools being the lone survivors and topic of debate. Today Commissioners will meet with the Miami-Dade County School Board where the Attendance Boundary Committee is expected to vote on the issue. That recommendation will be given to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, who will make the final decision.

Of course there is debate on all sides, some preferring their children to attend the neighborhood school, and others believing the schools are not equal and perhaps another route is best, but at the very least they want more time to investigate. Apparently, the parents were made aware of the proposal with only 4 days remaining in the 70-day review process.

G.W. Carver Elementary School

From a realtor’s perspective: try explaining Controlled Choice to an international Buyer. I sell a lot of properties in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and South Miami, and the Buyers don’t always ‘get it’ or like it. One recent example: Buyer wants to live in the Dante Fascell Park area of South Miami (west of Red Road), but wants to reside east of SW 59th Avenue so they can be in the Coral Gables school district (and attend Sunset Elementary School). I had to tell them that with the Controlled Choice system their children could be placed in one of the other 2 schools, which logistically are much further away. Parents are working in the Dadeland/Datran area and now the children may have to go to elementary school in the north Gables (Coral Gables Preparatory Academy). They will probably opt out of the public school arena. Let’s see what happens today!

Coral Gables Preparatory Academy

To learn more about real estate in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne at [email protected] or at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!

What do the UM, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, the Dade County parks, public works and transit departments, and the Mayors of Miami, Coral Gables, and South Miami have in common? They are avid supporters of Meg Daly’s “Underline” dream of transforming the existing, practically unused paved path that runs from Brickell to Dadeland (under the Metrorail), into a beautiful, functional, wildly successful linear park for cyclists and pedestrians.

‘Friends of the Underline’ see gardens, parks, and playgrounds connecting neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces. Meg’s genius vision + tireless grassroots effort will not only give Miami another layer of outdoor living, but it will make it possible for kids and adults to walk or cycle to work, play, and school SAFELY. Can you imagine what a boost the Underline will give the Metrorail? OMG, why isn’t everyone taking the Metrorail to the American Airlines Arena, Perez Art Museum, and the Corporate Run? What if we all walked the Underline and hopped on the Metrorail to get us most of the way to Art Basel and Wynwood? It took me nearly 2 hours to get into the Miami Beach Convention Center this year.

As a realtor primarily selling homes in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Pinecrest, and Palmetto Bay I spend A LOT of time in my car and that means a lot of time on US1. I am so excited to watch the transformation of that space; it will be such a joy to look over and see a beautiful, vibrant, happy scene under the Metrorail, and I can’t wait to walk on it!

PS, before Meg Daly fell off her bike, broke her elbows, rendered herself unable to drive and had to get to physical therapy in the Grove via Metrorail and walking (that’s where she brainstormed the Underline/formerly Greenlink), she was a marketing whiz at EWM Realty International.Thank you so much Meg for your vision, energy, and spirit! Good luck to the five design teams competing to design the masterplan for the Underline: Balmori Associates, Dlandstudio, and James Corner Field Operations, all from New York, Perkins + Will, and Stoss, from Boston.

To learn more about real estate in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne at [email protected] or at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!

Did everyone read last week’s Business Monday cover story about Miami being a leading luxury capital of the world? It was a WOW moment for Miami where we were defined as “a cosmopolitan playground for the world’s wealthy,” “the American Riviera,” and “a magnet for capital and people from all over the world.” To put it in perspective Miami is:

No. 7 of 10 top markets globally according to Wealth Report real estate

No. 9 of 10 in luxury real estate markets according to Christie’s International Real Estate (Cote d’ Azur, London and Miami are the world’s most popular second homes)

No. 9 globally and No. 2 in the United States in sales of Krug Champagne

No. 1 globally in sales of Vilebrequin swimwear

No. 2 in the United State in sales of Audemars Piguet watches

Way the heck up there in world-wide sales of Breguet watches, Ferragamo shoes & accessories, Burgess Yachts, and Maserati cars

So those are some light-shedding statistics on this great city that I have called home all of my life and sold real estate in for 20+ years (specializing in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Pinecrest, & Palmetto Bay). The most amazing characteristic of Miami is how resilient we are, and how quickly we recovered from the ‘dark days’ which were darkest in 2007 & 2008. By 2009-2010 we were well on our way to recovery, and 2014 was a record year for real estate sales in both luxury ($1mil+) and non-luxury real estate markets.

You can track the inventory and sales of luxury and non-luxury real estate in Miami for the last 12 years on the two graphs below (click on graph for enlargement):

To learn more about real estate in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne at [email protected] or at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!

List Price: 1,375,000.00

My first closing in 2015 was one of my favorite homes listed in 2014! The house was a classic 1990 built with a mix of Florida Vernacular and Modernism, and spanned a beautiful 14,700 SF lot.

There was no one living at the property and no furniture inside when we listed it, so first on the agenda was transforming this already great house into a “home”. With the help of Jenny McCloskey Staging 515 San Antonio was furnished and accessorized into a magazine quality work of art! We had 3 offers come in and so many other interested parties. I congratulate both the lucky Buyers and Sellers and thank Jenny for a fabulous staging presentation!

515 San Antonio Avenue, Coral Gables, FL

515 San Antonio Avenue, Coral Gables, FL

To learn more about real estate in South Miami, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne at [email protected] or at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!

A magnificent “builder’s acre” (37,895sf) on tony North Bay Road just closed for $15,250,000 (asking price $15,900,000, listed in February, 2014). What the Buyer will do with the existing 6 bedroom/5 bath home, circa 1929, remains to be seen but all are guessing that it is coming down. A Coral Gables-based family purchased the property which makes one ask what could they have purchased on the water in Coral Gables or Coconut Grove for a similar amount?

If you are out shopping for “waterfront” property in Coral Gables or Coconut Grove between $15,000,000 and $20,000,000 there are only six options; four in the Gables (two in Gables Estates, one in Cocoplum, one in Journey’s End), and two in the Grove (one in Entrada Estates and of course the uber cool nest LeGone James just left)

Only Lebron’s house at 3590 Crystal View Court, and 3575 Stewart Avenue in Entrada Estates have the sweeping Bay views that compare to the North Bay Road property, but it would certainly be desirable to live in Gables Estates, Cocoplum, or Journey’s End! Here is a snippet of what’s out there!

9151 Arvida Lane, Coral Gables

9485 Old Cutler Lane, Coral Gables

325 Leucadendra Drive, Coral Gables

300 Costanera Road, Coral Gables

3575 Stewart Avenue, Coconut Grove

3590 Crystal View Court, Miami

To learn more about real estate in South Miami, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne at [email protected] or at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!

The Real Deal, which is a daily read or feed for active realtors, released the “Thankful in Miami Edition” today which highlights some interesting South Florida stats. This information isn’t going to make or break your day but they are fun facts:

How many hurricanes have hit South Florida since 2005? 0 / Nada

What is Miami’s average temperature? 75.9 degrees(Have you seen what is happening across the country this week? Six feet of snow in Buffalo in one day – yikes!)

Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables, FL

Buffalo, NY

What percent increase did South Florida have in median sales prices in the 3rd quarter? 8.7%

515 San Antonio Avenue, Coral Gables, FL

What percentage of Miami real estate transactions have been conducted by international buyers this year? 29% This is down from 2013 when then the number was 35% . I am having a hard time believing the number of international buyers is down because I have never had so many international clients. Just this week alone, one property that I have listed in Coral Gables at 515 San Antonio has been looked at by buyers from Italy, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain.

How many people are predicted to pass through MiamiCentral (All Aboard Florida’s downtown Miami station) each year? 12 million!!!!The dollar impact of that is unknown to me but my first thought when I heard about All Aboard Florida was, ‘Where was that when I was trekking to Walt Disney World and Halloween Horror Nights those 30 or so times?”

To learn more about real estate in South Miami, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne at [email protected] or at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!

I’ve had a couple of clients who recently moved to Miami ask me where they can relax and enjoy a Halloween Party with their kids.

If you live in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Pinecrest, or Palmetto Bay you are in SO much luck! These communities are so exceptional, and I don’t say that because most of my sales are in these neighborhoods; my sales are in these neighborhoods because the communities and the government centers that manage them are THE BEST! Enjoy Halloween Events at anyone of these venues:

Coral Gables: Halloween on the Mile. From 4 pm to 7 pm, there will be trick-or-treating along the Mile and its adjacent streets. Other activities include story time at Books & Books at 4:30 pm, a children’s costume contest at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre at 5 pm and a doggie costume contest at the Coral Gables Museum at 5:30 pm.

Coconut Grove: Howl-o-ween at Cocowalk. From 2 pm until 7 pm, children are invited to trick-or-treat in and around Cocowalk. In addition to loading up their Halloween goody bags, children will also be able to enjoy face painting, a costume contest, magicians and clowns.

South Miami: Safe Streets Halloween. From 4 pm until 7 pm, the City of South Miami will be closing off Sunset Drive from US1 to Red Road for its annual Halloween trick-or-treating event.

Pinecrest: ‘Track or Treat’ at Evelyn Greer Park. Show up dressed in your Halloween best at any time from 5 pm until 7 pm and join the community trick-or-treating along the track and sampling yummy treats from local businesses.

Palmetto Bay: ‘Where Monsters Go’ at Coral Reef Park. This event begins at 6 pm, with a free movie screening of Hotel Transylvania at 7 pm. Trick-or-treating, games and other activities are just a sampling of the fun that the Village of Palmetto Bay has in store for its residents for Halloween. Children and adults dressed in costume will be automatically eligible to receive a raffle ticket to win ghoulishly.

To learn more about real estate in South Miami, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne at [email protected] or at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!